Underground Heating Scheme Drives London Closer to Carbon Neutrality

Ellie Chivers investigates London's newest step towards going carbon-neutral by 2030.

Photo by Felix Hanspach

As a way to provide heating to Londoners that is both eco-friendly and easy on the wallet, excess heat from the Northern Line is to be provided to 1350 homes, a school and two leisure centres in the borough of Islington. Not only will this move lead to underground tunnels becoming much cooler during sweltering summer commutes, it is also hoped that it will help significantly reduce carbon emissions. 

This new project is housed in The Bunhill Energy Centre, located in the deserted City Road tube station which was once part of the Northern Line itself,and consists of a giant underground pump taking heat from the Northern Line. The excess heat is then warmed further, before being passed on to Islington’s heat network– a process flipped in summertime,as cooler air will instead be pumped into the tube tunnels.

The initiative is a key element of Islington Council’s Bunhill Heat and Power Scheme, which outlines their plan to decrease fuel poverty in the area. Council tenants connected to this network will see reductions in their heating bills of around 10%.

According to the Environmental Journal, approximately 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions usually released during the generation of energy for domestic heating will be reduced each year thanks to this innovative project.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has praised it as an initiative that pushes the capital one step closer towards his 2030 goal of carbon neutrality in the city.

Lucy Padfield, Director of District Heating at Ramboll– the engineering firm who designed the heat pump – has said:

“We believe that the use of large-scale heat in this way connected to urban district heating systems will play a major part in decarbonising the UK’s heating energy demand.”

While the scheme is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, it is hoped similar schemes can be rolled out across London, and perhaps further afield. It has certainly proved that ethical engineering is not only possible, but has the potential to be highly effective.

You may also like: The Major Environmental Initiative for Transport by UK Government

We are a socio-ethical impact initiative advocating for topics that matter, whilst supporting wider planetary change and acknowledgement. A not-for-profit initiative funded by readers like you. | To support our work and journalism, consider becoming an advocate from just £1.